1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to prefabricated waterproof shower and floor modules and, more particularly, to handicapped-accessible shower and bathroom floor modules and methods for manufacturing and installing same to produce a tiled shower enclosure and adjacent bathroom floor that is handicapped-accessible and prevents water intrusion onto the bathroom subfloor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The inventor is unaware of any waterproof shower modules which are handicapped-accessible and which are used in conjunction with either a bathroom floor module, which bathroom floor module has associated therewith a floor drain to permit the drainage of water which escapes the shower onto the bathroom floor, and/or an integrated ramp or floor extension, both of which bathroom floor module and integrated ramp or extension can be tiled. Although showers have been proposed which permit ready access by handicapped persons without those persons having to cross a significantly raised threshold or curb, none combine a prefabricated waterproof shower module with a curbless or low curb entry and a prefabricated waterproof bathroom floor pan attachable to, or integrally manufactured with the module, both of which can be tiled.
Therefore, a need exists for, among other things, drain apertures adapted to mate with one or more bathroom floor drains, and/or (b) the waterproof shower module is manufactured with an integrated tileable ramp, and further wherein the bathroom floor module and waterproof shower module, with or without the integrated ramp, mate in such a way as to define a contiguous surface over which bathroom floor and/or wall tile can be applied to create an unnoticeable transition between the bathroom sub-floor and shower.
A need also exists for a prefabricated shower module having one or more side edges forming a barrier free access threshold which includes a waterproof floor panel integrally formed with each threshold edge to prevent water which has seeped through the adjacent grout from contacting the sub-floor.